Nonviolent democratic transition refers to the use of peaceful means to dismantle an authoritarian structure and create a more open political system by increasing the distribution of political power among larger human pluralities. The nonviolent collective action generates political pressure through successful organization and mobilization of large numbers of prodemocracy groups, making manifest previously latent, hidden, or underground mass movements that challenge the status quo power arrangement. Antigovernment initiatives are thus able to remain contentious and coercive vis‐à‐vis the authoritarian state (Bond, Jenkins, Taylor, & Schock, 1997) without the employment of direct violence.